Portable red LED's

[ianpallen]

I bought a LED chain, so the advert on ebay called it.
It came today and I wondered how to 'fit' it to the cage without a hamster climbing the bars and chewing the wire (if I fitted it direct to the cage)
I as then thinking of light reflectors on strip lights, but I dont have one in my shed. I have a plactic tub which I cut the bottom off.
The lights off ebay for £2.79 complete with battery switch box but no batteries. Free postage. (battery operated)

The tub and then it with bottom cut off



I lined the bottom with silver tape used in sealing heating ducts joins.

The lights switched on (not so dark shed)

Glue the battery box to the bottom. The battery box lid is glued and I can still get in by sliding the battery case to change them.

Coil all the wire inside and glue in place with hot melt glue

Lights on

In situe on the cage. This can be moved to any cage or can be fixed to one cage with cable ties if desired.

[ianpallen]

The lights on the cage and even in daylight, you can see the reflection of the lights in the cage.

[spyro87]

Wow, I have to say you are one very handy man

I love all your home made hamster things. Brilliant. Truly. I may have to nab this idea so I can my own hams in the dark - they get up to such mischief when they think they're not being watched

[ianpallen]

Originally Posted by spyro87

Wow, I have to say you are one very handy man

I love all your home made hamster things. Brilliant. Truly. I may have to nab this idea so I can my own hams in the dark - they get up to such mischief when they think they're not being watched

Thanks. I put up the pics as a step by step so others can see how easy it is to make.
I will take a pic tonight when it is dark to see what effect it has on the cage.

I was thinking of making a unit similar with a computer cooling fan to draw heat out of the cage in hot weather. I could connect it to a 6v solar panel so it works in the day when it is warmer. Off to ebay to find a cheap fan. .

Edit : Fan now bought .Waiting for it to be posted.

[spyro87]

That is epic!
A built in cooling system. Lucky hamsters you've got

This weather definitely requires it though!

[ianpallen]

Originally Posted by spyro87

That is epic!
A built in cooling system. Lucky hamsters you've got

This weather definitely requires it though!

Thanks Spyro. I suffer with the heat and the hams are wearing fur coats. i am hoping it causes a slight coolness draught above the cage.

Although I have bought a fan off ebay, it is only a 60mm fan. My laptop sits on a cake rack with a 75mm fan at the cooling fins side and the fan is / was adapted with a USB plug to cool my laptop quicker. I have used the 75mm fan and replace the side fan when it comes.
I cut another tub down to same height as the lights one (and sliced my thumb in the process. Beware of new sharp stanley knife blades.
I cut marked around the fan case and cut, leaving the corners rounded so I could glue the fan to the tub base. i have to wait to get a PP3 9v battery holder with switch to wire it up. Here is the basics.

Inside the tub. The battery holder will be hot glued inside when it arrives.

[dave123791]

Wow, this thing is EPIC!

All your DIY stuff are great and professionally made. And you also have your own work base: wish i could have my own work base instead of doing all my stuff in the shed: accompanied by mealworms.

[ianpallen]

Thanks Dave. I do my projects in my shed. It is a mess in there and there is only standing room just inside the door. It is a concrete shed and I had to put my own electrics in via a long cable from a kitchen socket. I dont have half the tools I would like, but I have enough to manage. My projects are not professional, but they are safe (even if I am not with tools. lol) and look fairly decent.
I enjoy making and upcycling things. It keeps my mind active, and having small furry pets, I like to make things for them.

[dave123791]

Originally Posted by ianpallen

Thanks Dave. I do my projects in my shed. It is a mess in there and there is only standing room just inside the door. It is a concrete shed and I had to put my own electrics in via a long cable from a kitchen socket. I dont have half the tools I would like, but I have enough to manage. My projects are not professional, but they are safe (even if I am not with tools. lol) and look fairly decent.
I enjoy making and upcycling things. It keeps my mind active, and having small furry pets, I like to make things for them.

I have electricity in mine too but i put a solar panel on the roof. If i ever need more electricity i am connected to the kitchen socket via an underground cable. I have all the tools i need but no space to put them haha. I used to use our 2nd garage as we only had one car but my dad bought a 2nd car so i had to make the shed and get electricity in it. I got the solar panel for free on Gumtree. Your projects look way better than my ones. I'm not very creative.

[ianpallen]

The battery op led's at night. They light up really well in the dark. The cage does not need any more.

The light moved over to the right to light up the platform

And Tarzan (still dont know wether to call him Boris) hiding in his coconut looking out.